Due to pregnancy complications with my mother, doctors gave me a 1-in-4 chance to survive birth, and if I did, it was all but guaranteed that I would be faced with mental and physical disabilities. Needless to say, the good Lord has been protecting me from day one. Not only was I healthy, but I was blessed with a wonderful, loving, Christian family. I grew up in the Church learning about Jesus and His love for me.
It was not until college, however, when I truly came to an understanding of the meaning of a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was at this time when I began to understand and feel God’s love, and know there was nothing I could do here on Earth to deserve His Grace; rather, it was Christ’s sacrifice that already paid my debts.
Your story is never over. God is always building upon it; He will use your life for the betterment of His Kingdom. When my mom delivered me — a perfectly healthy baby — she looked at the doctors and said, “Not bad for a 1-in-4 chance!”
My wife and I just had twin boys. We too were a very high-risk pregnancy with multiple complications. And while our boys were born 10 weeks premature and we had to spend seven weeks in the NICU, we’re praising God that they are doing awesome today. Throughout the time we met with doctors about my wife’s pregnancy, she and I had a peace about everything. We knew God was in control; He was adding to our story. This miracle is yet another element to share what God’s done for us.
Baseball for me is not who I am. During my college days, baseball had become my idol; I found my identity in how well I played that day. But slowly I understood that my identity is not in baseball, and it’s not in what I do. It’s in Jesus Christ. Baseball is simply something I can do to glorify Him.
Today, I live my life to honor and glorify God in all I do. Reproducing God’s love, mercy and grace is my mission on Earth. I have many dreams and goals I hope to accomplish in the game of baseball, and I know with God on my side, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! But despite all those earthly dreams, my No. 1 goal is to one day hear the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
I sign all my autographs with the verse Mark 10:27 — a promise God’s given me and that He’s proved time and time again in my own story. From day one, man said I wouldn’t be here, but here I am. And I’m going to use the life God’s given me to bring glory to Him.
“For Jesus said to them: ‘With man this is impossible. But not with God; For nothing is impossible with God.’” — Mark 10:27
— James McCann, Detroit Tigers catcher
The Increase, part of the Sports Spectrum Network, is a community of Christian pro athletes sharing their personal stories of the decrease of self and the increase of Christ (John 3:30). Visit TheIncrease.com for more stories and videos.
